Klebsiella pneumoniae is a ubiquitous bacterium normally found in the mouth, throat, skin and especially the intestines of most healthy people. Klebsiella can become a problem and cause serious infections in those with compromised or weakened immune systems. Klebsiella infections are most often acquired by hospital patients being treated for other ailments. K. pneumoniae is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium of the enterobacteriaceae family. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Klebsiella infections can be difficult to treat, as some strains are proving to be resistant to antibiotics.
Pneumonia
Klebsiella pneumoniae can infect the lungs and cause a pneumonia. It is a rare, but severe, disease characterized by a dark reddish-brown sputum, called "currant jelly sputum," according to the Merck Manuals. There can also be the formation of lung abscesses and empyema, a collection of pus between the lung and chest wall. Other symptoms include chest pain, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fever and chills. Diabetics, alcoholics and those with lung diseases are particularly prone to getting a Klebsiella pneumonia. A pneumonia is generally diagnosed via a chest x-ray and sputum culture.
Urinary Tract Infection
Klebsiella pneumoniae can also be the cause of some urinary tract infections, particularly in mature women, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A urinary tract infection, also called a UTI, can affect the bladder, urethra, ureters or kidneys. A UTI has sudden onset of symptoms, to include an urgency to urinate, abdominal discomfort, pain or burning on urination, back pain and possibly fever. The urine may appear to be cloudy or bloody. It is diagnosed through urinalysis.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammation of the joints in between the vertebrae of the spine and also between the joints forming the sacroiliac. It generally affects younger men between the ages of 19 and 40. There is no known cause, but there is thought to be a genetic link. Recent studies have shown that Klebsiella pneumoniae may be the causative factor triggering or perpetuating ankylosing spondylitis, according to PubMed.
Sepsis
Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria can enter the bloodstream through any opening in the skin, such as a wound or a surgical site. Sepsis is a bacterial infection carried by the blood throughout the body, causing widespread inflammation, according to the Merck Manuals. The symptoms of sepsis are shaking chills, fever, low blood pressure, confusion and extreme weakness. Diagnosis is made through a blood culture and other blood work.
Septic Shock
Sepsis can lead to septic shock, a condition where the body is overwhelmed by the infection, causing a marked decrease in tissue perfusion, which then leads to multiple organ failure, including kidney, liver and lungs. According to the Merck Manuals, septic shock is most likely triggered by the body's reaction to a toxin produced by the Klebsiella bacteria. If septic shock is not treated immediately with aggressive fluid resuscitation, antibiotics, surgical excision of any infected tissues and drainage of pus, along with supportive care, it can be fatal.
References
- Centers for Disease Control: Klebsiella pneumoniae
- Merck Manuals: Klebsiella , Enterobacter , and Serratia Infections
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Urinary Tract Infection
- PubMed: Ankylosing spondylitis is linked to Klebsiella--the evidence by T. Rashid T, A. Ebringer
- Merck Manuals: Sepsis and Septic Shock
